The journey to Svaneti from Tbilisi is long: a minibus from the Didube station takes eight to nine hours. A more comfortable option is to take a modern train to Zugdidi and from there continue to Mestia by minibus, which takes about three more hours. From Kutaisi the route also runs through Zugdidi.
On arrival in Mestia, a settlement at an altitude of 1,500 metres, go straight to the Svan towers. These stone structures, some of which are 800 years old, rise above the rooftops against the snow-covered Ushba massif. The small but valuable Museum of History and Ethnography of Svaneti holds medieval icons and manuscripts that were hidden for centuries in remote churches. If you still have energy, you can walk to the Chalaadi Glacier — an easy route about seven kilometres long along the river that leads you to a wall of blue ice.
The second day is best devoted to the trip to Ushguli. The 45-kilometre road, which once took three hours and all one's strength, is now mostly paved, and the journey takes about two hours. Ushguli is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a community of four villages at an altitude of 2,100 metres. In the morning the air smells of smoke from the stoves, wet stone and fresh manure; cows and pigs wander the streets, and Mount Shkhara (5,193 m) rises above the towers. From the hill near the Lamaria church, a view opens over the whole valley, and from the village a level path leads to the Shkhara Glacier.
Most tourists come to Ushguli for a single day, which leaves them only two or three hours for a quick walk and lunch. Those who stay overnight see a very different village. When the day visitors leave, golden evening light falls on the stone towers, and a brisk chill comes down from the mountains. A night in a guesthouse makes it possible to reach the glacier without haste and to feel the rhythm of life in one of the highest permanently inhabited places in Europe.
On the third day, having returned to Mestia in the morning, you can ride the cable car up Hatsvali Mountain to take in the panorama of the Caucasus range from above. From Mestia, minibuses back to Zugdidi and Tbilisi also depart in the afternoon. On the trip it is worth trying the local cuisine, which is more filling and saltier than in the rest of Georgia. The main dish is kubdari, a closed pie with spiced beef or pork. They also prepare chishtvari, corn flatbreads with cheese, and tashmijabi, mashed potatoes mixed with Svan cheese.
Prices in Svaneti are higher than on the plains. A budget trip will cost 100–150 lari per day per person. A more comfortable journey with overnight stays in private rooms and private transport will cost 200–320 lari. There are no ATMs in Ushguli, and mobile signal often drops, so it is worth carrying cash. The best time to travel is from June to September. In September the weather is clear and there are fewer tourists. Even in summer nights in Ushguli are cold, with temperatures dropping to five degrees, so warm and waterproof clothing is essential.
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